


Evermore

by Fanatic_weirdo



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bad Parent Robert Lightwood, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kinda, M/M, beast magnus, beauty alec, not mean magnus just sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-06-23 10:29:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15604332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanatic_weirdo/pseuds/Fanatic_weirdo
Summary: Magnus uses a spell that backfires and makes him deformed. Alec is trades his freedom for Izzy's and slowly realizes that Magnus isn't the monster he believes he is.Is the spell reversible or is Magnus doomed to look like a beast forever?Beauty and the Beast AU. Kinda.





	1. Chapter 1

The potion had backfired. He looked in the shattered mirror. The thing was supposed to take his heart, so he didn’t feel, so he didn’t hurt. Instead, it turned him into the monster people saw him as, and worse yet, it had done nothing to his heart, it was still just as broken, just as damaged as it had been. After Camille had hurt him badly he promised to never let anyone get near his heart, so he supposed the one good thing was that now, no one even tried to get close to such a hideous beast. His skin looked like a mixture of burned and swollen, huge bumps like warts covered parts of him, he one of his hands was twisted into a claw like thing and his eyes. Well actually that was the one thing that hadn’t changed, but his glamours no longer worked, he couldn’t make himself look normal, couldn’t make his eyes normal. They were cat like, demon eyes, he thought he hated them the most. 

Clients didn’t want to touch him, so he started setting potions or things they ordered on the table and let them grab it from there. They would only allow him to do magic if he didn’t have to make skin to skin contact, his magic was fine to help them, just not him. Children would ask their parents what he was, or they would just scream monster and point, he didn’t know which was worse. Eventually he didn’t go out of his loft, only going to the Institute via portal, not walking the streets, and forcing clients to come to his place. 

He hated going to the Institute, but they paid him handsomely. Shadowhunters didn’t care about how they stared or what they said well within earshot, for Shadowhunters didn’t think Downworlders had feelings, or souls, or hearts, and Magnus wishes they were right. 

Maryse Lightwood was a beautiful but cruel woman. She was Head of the Institute with her husband Robert. They were “ex” Circle Members, but their hatred certainly still showed, and they did nothing to try to hide it. 

“It’s about time!” Maryse bit when he entered the office. He hadn’t expected there to be a child there. A little boy, around 4 years-old with black hair and bright hazel eyes. Magnus had to keep from flinching, he hated children. They were so honest and it often meant that Magnus heard what was truly thought of him, not that he didn’t know. 

“I do believe we were scheduled for 10am, it is 9:57, therefore I am early,” he replied. He hadn’t noticed the child walk up to him until he was tapping his arm. Magnus jerked away in surprise, he hadn’t been touched on purpose in a very long time, even if the child had touched his jacket. 

“Hello,” the little boy grinning brightly. Magnus tried to smile but his skin made it look distorted and mean but the kid didn’t seem bothered. “My name is-“

“Alec!” Maryse snapped and jerked Alec away from Magnus. Alec whimpered at the pain of his arm being yanked so roughly. “This is a Warlock and you are never to go near it. They are dangerous,” she growled.

Alec however was undeterred and looked back at Magnus, “He doesn’t look dangerous, he just looks sad,” Magnus blinked in shock at the perceptive child. 

“Warlocks aren’t capable of feelings, so stay away from him,” she pushed him back to where he’d been sitting. He went but watched Magnus, not in fear, but he seemed simply curious. 

It was couple hours later when Magnus was working on the wards that the child-Alec- walked up to him again. 

“Sorry my mommy was mean to you, she’s mean to me sometimes too,” he said sweetly. So sweetly that Magnus actually lost focus and his work faltered, only for a moment but it still took the Warlock aback. 

“How is she mean to you?” he spoke directly to him for the first time. 

Alec shrugged, “She yells at me when I talk too much and ask too many questions and if I don’t get a rune right, lots of things.” He said it far to casually for Magnus’s comfort. And of course a Shadowhunter would yell at their children for talking too much, for being inquisitive. Shadowhunters were soldiers, not thinkers. 

“I think it’s good to ask questions, it shows you’re smart,” Magnus claimed trying to smile without seeming scary. 

“Thank you! I think so too!” he said strongly. Magnus hated the thought that they would take this from him, take his confident, his kindness. They would teach him Downworlders were all evil and needed to be controlled, they would teach him asking questions didn’t get the job done, they would teach him to be a machine, an unfeeling, cruel machine. “Reading is my favorite thing to do!” 

“That’s great! You should always read,” Magnus replied, looking him in the eye before quickly realizing what he’d done and looking away. 

“Ooh your eyes are so pretty,” this time he completely dropped his magic and turned to Alec who was smiling softly. Lilith he hoped they didn’t take that smile. 

Magnus laughed, knowing it sounded harsher than he meant for it to but Alec didn’t shrink away but his face fell slightly,

“I wasn’t trying to be funny,” he muttered. Magnus felt bad and knelt next to him,

“No, I know, Darling, I know you weren’t, I wasn’t laughing at you,” he promised. 

“Then why’d you laugh?” Alec’s bottom lip poked out slightly and Magnus didn’t think he’d ever been so charmed. 

“Because little Shadowhunter, you are the first person to ever tell me that, and I have been alive a very long time,” Magnus explained and Alec’s lip just poked out further.

“Well that’s mean, because your eyes are pretty and everyone should tell you that!” Why did this beautifully hearted child have to be born to this race? Magnus took one of Alec’s hands in his good one and Alec didn’t pull away, his face softened and he smiled.

“Thank you, Alexander,” Magnus whispered.

At first Alec’s nose scrunched but then he tilted his head, “I hate when Mommy and Daddy call me Alexander because it means I’m in trouble, but I like when you call me that,” he blushed shyly. 

“Get your hands off him!” A sharp voice hit Magnus and he released Alec’s hand quickly and stood. Robert rushed over to them, kneeling next to Alec and checking him over to make sure Magnus hadn’t hurt him or infected him. “Alexander, what did your mother say about talking to these creatures?” 

Alec huffed, “I was just talking to him,” he claimed, defiantly. 

Robert narrowed his eyes, “Pick a book.” Alec’s eyes widened in horror and fear. Ironic that the child had that expression directed at his own father rather than Magnus.

“No! Please Daddy, I’m sorry! I-I-“ Alec begged, pulling at Robert’s pants. Magnus watched with a lump in his throat as tears streamed down the 4 year old’s face. These weren’t crocodile tears; this child was heartbroken. 

“You know when you don’t listen I burn one of your books,” Robert hissed and Magnus’s mouth dropped in horror as Alec sobbed. 

“Mr. Lightwood, it was my fault, I-“ 

“Aren’t you getting overpaid to be doing something, Warlock?” Robert bit. Magnus blinked before nodding sharply and turned his back on the father and son, quite a hard thing to do considering he’d met Alec a couple hours ago. His heart broke as the sounds of Alec’s cries drifted away but didn’t lessen in pain. This beautiful child was different for he had looked at Magnus and not seen a beast.


	2. 20 Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus is not a forgiving man.

Magnus scoffed at the Shadowhunter girl offering her “family heirloom necklace” it was HIS necklace that the Shadowhunters had stolen from him. Well, he couldn’t punish those Shadowhunters, so he would punish this one. He threw the girl in his dungeon, laughing when she apologized and claimed didn’t know, ignorance was no excuse. He wondered if in a different time he wouldn’t have felt sympathy for her. She was young, barely 20, beautiful, with long black hair running down her back, he couldn’t quite place why she looked familiar, he’d only ever seen one Shadowhunter child in 20 years and that was that Lightwood child. 

“Please! My little brother is sick! I’ll pay you with money! I just thought the necklace would be more valuable to you!” she pleaded as he walked away. 

“You’re right, because it’s mine, and I don’t care about a Shadowhunter child, one less of them in the world cannot be a bad thing,” Magnus knew what he’d said was cruel and maybe he felt guilty for it, or maybe he was just glad to have his necklace back. He silenced the room as he could still hear her crying and pleading in the living room and he wanted to enjoy a nice night of peace and quiet. 

Which was of course destroyed when his door was kicked in. Why were his wards letting these damn Shadowhunters in?

“Damnit, Jace I said knock!” one scolded the other just before Magnus’s magic grabbed them and immobilized them. The blond, who apparently was called Jace, was rolling his eyes at the other before glaring at Magnus with disgust and fury, and maybe a little bit of fear which made Magnus feel good. The other one had black hair and hazel eyes, he was looking at Magnus without the disgust and fear, he just looked annoyed and angry. “You have our sister,” he claimed. Magnus snapped his fingers and the two where now seated and tired up with ropes, Jace let out a snarl while the other just continued to look at him. 

“The one with the long black hair?” Magnus asked walked around the two Shadowhunters. Jace was watching him, defensively, like he was a threat, and perhaps he was. But the other was just watching him, more like a cat with a twitching tail. 

“You have more than one?” the blond growled. 

Magnus patted Jace’s hair, which got him a cry or horror and disgust, Magnus chuckled, they wanted a monster, they’d get one. 

“I mean right now, I have three so…” Magnus said, shrugging, his smirk looking as mean and evil as it was intended. “Your sister offered me something that was no hers in the first place. It was mine. I was merely taking it back and keeping the thief in prison where she belongs.” Jace snarled and tried to free himself of the rope but Magnus just laughed at the pathetic attempt.

“Then you should take me,” the dark haired one stated.

“Alec!” Jace hissed but Alec’s face didn’t leave Magnus. 

“Look, that necklace is a family heirloom, or well we thought it was, but since I am the oldest sibling that makes it mine, which makes me the thief, not her. Let her go, I’ll stay,” Alec said, ignoring Jace’s protests. Magnus froze looking at Alec. Alec. Hazel eyes and black hair, a beautiful combination.

“Alexander,” he whispered. Alec’s mouth fell open in surprise and Jace snapped his head to him.

“How-How did you know that?” Alec asked. Magnus blinked and shook his head, 

“Doesn’t matter,” he waved the question away but Magnus could feel those hazel eyes on him. “Understand this is eternity- or well I guess not for you,” he said with a harsh laugh, “So for the rest of your life, you’ll stay?” Magnus asked. Alec studied him, squared his chest as much as the ropes would allow and nodded determinedly,

“Yes, my life for hers.” 

Magnus hummed and snapped his fingers and Alec was in the cage and Izzy and Jace were outside his loft in the street. 

“NO!” Alec yelled. Magnus walked into the room with the cell and Alec was clutching the bars, tears streaming down his face, “You didn’t even let me say goodbye,” he sobbed. “I’ll never see them again and you didn’t even let me say goodbye.” Magnus blinked, he hadn’t even thought about it, honestly. Alec sunk to the ground sobbing, his hands covering his face. Magnus left the room and just as he was about to bring up the silencing bubble he dropped his hand, he wasn’t sure he had the right. Maybe he needed to listen to that man cry and remember the little boy who wasn’t afraid, who hadn’t shied away from him, who hadn’t looked at him and seen a monster. 

Magnus swallowed hard before putting up the silent bubble anyway. If he wanted to sacrifice himself for people who claimed to love him, that was his choice. He’d become on the inside, what the outside portrayed.


	3. Different kind of Shadowhunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec meets Catarina and Ragnor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ragnor is alive. I love him. Basically he's Cogsworth and Catarina is Mrs. Potts but not really lol

“A Shadowhunter, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an unarmed one this close,” Catarina stated. Her voice awaking Alec and causing him to jump into fight stance before realizing where he was. 

He scowled, “Who are you?” he asked, his voice hoarse from crying himself to sleep. 

“I’m Catarina Loss, and this is Ragnor Fell, we’re friends of Magnus’s,” Catarina said. 

Alec looked at her, apparently trying to be angry but it just came out hurt, “Why would anyone be friends with him?” Catarina understood his anger and his sadness, Magnus had, in a fit of anger treated this boy as if he were the one without feelings. And after he’d just given up his freedom for his sister whom he so clearly loved. 

“Because he wasn’t always like this,” Ragnor said sadly. Alec frown but he was biting on his lower lip as well which revealed his uncertainty of completely hating his captor. “Come on, let us get you something to eat, then we’ll show you to your room,” Ragnor said as he snapped his fingers and the cell door open. 

“My room? But-“ Alec began but Catarina and Ragnor chuckled lightly,

“Magnus likes to be dramatic, all that ‘this is for eternity’ crap,” Catarina said with a smile as she put her hand on Alec’s back gently. Alec tensed but then relaxed slightly when he realized the hand wasn’t going to hurt him. 

“Oh wow,” Alec breathed as they walked through the loft. It wasn’t as large as the Institute but it certainly was more grand. He hadn’t paid attention yesterday, focused instead solely on finding Izzy, but now… Catarina and Ragnor smiled at each other, they already knew he was different from other Shadowhunters, maybe he could help Magnus by showing him not everyone was out to get him. 

“What can I get you? I can get you literally anything in the entire world,” Catarina said, rubbing her hands together excitedly. 

“Um-a lox bagel?” Alec asked hesitantly. Catarina’s face fell, unamused, “Sorry! Um-“ 

Alec stammered but Catarina held up her hand, “It’s fine, I was just hoping for something with a little adventure required,” she snapped her fingers and a lox bagel and a cup of coffee appeared on the counter.

“Oh bless you,” he breathed as he grabbed the coffee first, taking a sip. He hummed in surprise, looking at the cup, “Where is this from, this is the best I’ve ever had,” he claimed. 

Catarina grinned, “It’s this place in North Carolina called Taylor’s, good right?” 

“So good,” he agreed. He didn’t sit or moved other than bringing his coffee to his lips and eating his bagel thoughtfully. After about 2 minutes passing with the young man’s chewing as the only sound in the room, Ragnor and Catarina knew it would be up to them to get the conversation going.

“What’s your name, tall, dark, and handsome?” Ragnor asked. Both he and Catarina chuckled as Alec burned his tongue at the last part of the question. 

His cheeks flaming up, “Alec Lightwood,” he said. 

Both Catarina and Ragnor’s face lost its humour, “You’re a Lightwood?” Catarina asked. Alec tensed and swallowed hard, nodding. “Oh only Magnus would kidnap a Lightwood, he’ll have the Institute at the door by the end of the day,” she groaned.

“No,” Alec said softly, “I’m sure they’re glad to be rid of me,” he claimed. Magnus had woken to the sound of his friends in the kitchen, apparently they were feeding his prisoner. He listened quietly from his bedroom, “Being a gay Shadowhunter isn’t really in their overall ideal that they want to present.” Alec sounded so broken that Magnus knew they’d done what he’d fear they would. They’d taken that little boy’s smile. “I’m an outcast, a weirdo,” Alec said softly, “If I wasn’t so good at my job, I think they would have deruned me, or banish me.” He sighed softly, “Sometimes I wish they would, most of the people I work with hate me.” Magnus paused at Alec’s words. How could this perfect soldier be so rejected just for being gay? He shook his head, a Shadowhunter was still a Shadowhunter, they were all the same.

“Why are you feeding my prisoner?” Magnus snapped as he walked into the kitchen. Alec took a step back, his shoulder hunching, making himself as small as possible. Hmmm, abused children did that. Catarina and Ragnor obviously noticed it too and glanced at each other. 

“Because he hadn’t eaten,” Catarina claimed logically. “I’m also setting him up in your guest room,” she reported. 

Magnus scoffed, “This isn’t a bed and breakfast, Catarina, he is a thief and-“

“No! You gave that necklace to Will before your heart was the ugly, black hole in your chest that it is now! This boy did nothing wrong and if you insist on keeping him for some stupid vendetta you have, you will at least treat him with dignity!” Catarina snarled, sick of the hate that Magnus let himself be engulfed in.

“Oh because Shadowhunters have ever treated me with dignity!” Magnus bit back. 

“Oh because he’s every Shadowhunter ever! I seem to remember you telling me about a certain Shadowhunter child who found your eyes ‘pretty’ or have you forgotten about that one,” Catarina yelled. Magnus saw Alec realize who they were talking about and he gasped quietly, blinking rapidly. The light above the stove exploded as Magnus stormed out. Catarina turned to Alec who had shied away from the broken glass. “Sorry about that,” she said, now completely composed. 

“He’s not going to ever hurt you,” Ragnor claimed. “He has a temper but yelling and making things explode across the room is about as far as he’ll go.” 

Alec nodded, looking at where Magnus had just disappeared to. “He just seems so sad,” Alec breathed. Ragnor raised his eyebrows and Alec blushed, looking at him, “My brother expresses his sadness as anger too,” he claimed. “And besides, I was raised by Robert and Maryse Lightwood, takes a lot more than a quick temper to scare me,” he claimed with a shrug. 

Catarina smiled softly at him, “Come on, let’s get you to your room, we should also get him some clothes,” she said to Ragnor. Alec almost smiled, he liked these two, but should he really like two people who were letting Magnus keep him captive. Still, there was something about them that made Alec feel… comfortable. He’d said he was gay and they hadn’t reacted at all, the first people since Izzy not to do so. She’d just said she knew and asked him to pass her a bone saw. Robert had beat the shit out of him and Maryse had smacked him and said he was never to speak of it again. Jace had stood up and quickly claimed he had somewhere to be. He’d apologized after but it had still hurt more that Alec would ever let on.

Catarina and Ragnor left a while later, promising to come back and telling him to help himself to the fridge, which he would never. 

Alec wasn’t sure if he had a death wish or not but he tiptoed out of his new room and into the living room, looking around cautiously. There were no pictures of people anywhere to be found. There were huge paintings of places, or objects, but not a single person. No photos in frames sitting around. Maybe Alec would have found it more odd if that wasn’t exactly how his parents’ offices were. Still he, Izzy, and Jace had a few photos of each other that they kept around their rooms. And Magnus was at least 600 years old, so how was it possible he had no friends he wanted to remember?

Everything in the room seemed to be decades old but looked brand new. The tapestry was heavy and dark but there wasn’t anything about it that didn’t say it had just been hung. Perhaps that was his magic, he kept all his things fresh. Alec hesitantly walked up to the bookshelf in the room. There were at least 100 books. Some old, some written as early as that year. Alec hadn’t been allowed to read for pleasure in 10 years. He’d snuck and done it anyway, of course, but there was always the fear of getting caught as he poured through the pages in the middle of the night, under his covers. He was lucky that his parents didn’t care enough about him to search to make sure he was obeying, because he kept the books he couldn’t bear to part with in a box under his bed. The Outsiders, Grapes of Wrath, Happy Death, Lord of the Rings, they were the four books that he couldn’t let go of. He was lucky enough to get them in the first place. 

Alec also saw spell books on the shelves and potion books, he didn’t dare touch anything, least of all those. On one of the shelves was a piece of broken glass, thick and with a green tint. Alec reached out slowly, trying to determine what the shard had once been a part of.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A growl came and Alec jumped back, bringing his hand to his chest and tensing every muscle in his body.

“No-nothing, I-I didn’t touch-“ He turned to Magnus who was scowling. Magnus had used a one way mirror spell to watch Alec look around his living room for nearly 5 minutes, delicately running his hands over furniture, and then admiring his books with a beautiful desire, but he never touched them. It wasn’t until he saw the green glass that had been part of Magnus’s mother’s perfume bottle that he reached towards anything.

“Just because Catarina and Ragnor moved you to the other room and gave you food, do not feel like this is a place you can roam freely and touch whatever you like, this is my home, not theirs.” Magnus stated. Alec nodded, but there wasn’t the fear that Magnus expected to see. Most people saw him and recoiled and couldn’t stand to look at him, but Alec studied him. There was no hatred either, which at this point would be perfectly understandable.

Magnus walked to his alcohol stand and fixed himself a drink. Alec hadn’t taken his eyes off him, but it wasn’t like he was trying to look at his deformity, he was looking like he was trying to find out all of Magnus’s secrets. 

“Take a picture it will last longer,” he snapped as he sat on the arm chair. Alec quickly looked away but then looked back and Magnus sighed in annoyance. “I know I look hideous, you don’t have to point it out,” Magnus claimed. He wanted to sound angry, but he heard it come out defeated.   
“I don’t care about that,” Alec reported. Magnus raised his eyebrow as he looked back at Alec. “I am trying to find out how you became so-“

“Cruel, angry, mean, heartless?“

“Broken,” Alec whispered and Magnus froze. Everyone who knew Magnus knew he was hateful with a temper, no one every suggested anything else. No one except Alexander Lightwood who at the age of 4 said he was ‘sad’ and now at 24, says he was broken. How could someone he’d met twice in his life, know him better than his best friends? “Is it because of your what happened to your face? Or is it-“

“If I wanted to tell you I would offer up that information,” Magnus bit.

“Would you?” Alec muttered. “I feel like no one has ever asked you before?” 

“I suggest you leave me alone before I change my mind about letting you stay in my guest room,” Magnus replied sharply. Alec looked like he was going to argue but closed his mouth and nodded quietly, looking down at the floor. Magnus let out a huff at how close the boy had come to getting under his skin, but he’d managed to evade him, so far. 

“Look, do what you want in the apartment, just don’t go in my bedroom, or office, don’t touch my potions, and don’t touch my spell books. But help yourself in the kitchen and to the TV, I guess.” Alec nodded and sat on the couch nervously.

“You knew who I was?” Alec asked quietly after a few moments of heavy silence. 

Magnus shut his eyes for a moment and nodded, “When your brother called you Alec, and I remembered who I first gave that necklace to.” Alec bit his lip and alternated from looking at Magnus and looking at his hands. “I wish I had been mistaken,” Magnus admitted.

“About what?” Alec asked softly.

“About your parents taking everything that made you special,” Alec flinched at the past tense. “You were so curious and talkative, and you had this confidence in yourself that only children have. And you had this sweet, bright smile, and I just knew your parents were going to beat you down and break you,” Magnus explained. 

“Yeah well… you get enough taken from you and enough beatings, you learn to stop talking and asking questions and there wasn’t much to smile about either, except for Iz-“ Alec cut himself off, his eyes filling with tears and he swallowed hard. Magnus finished his drink and stood to make another. 

“Want one?” Magnus asked quietly. 

“Sure,” Alec agreed, his voice still cracking with emotions. When he handed him the drink he could see that he’d gathered himself, put his emotions back in their box.

“Do you remember me?” Magnus asked almost shyly. 

“Yeah,” Alec said. “I’d never seen a Warlock before,” he smiled sadly. “I’d been told they were ‘evil, unfeeling demons’.”

“Mmm,” Magnus took a gulp of his drink, “Your parents always did have a way with words.” 

Alec let out a humorless laugh, “I’m the ‘disgusting, useless, faggot’, nice to meet you,” Alec said. Magnus would have laughed if it hadn’t been so damn sad. 

“Maybe their wrong about both of us,” Magnus said quietly.

“No, I am indeed a faggot,” Alec claimed with something akin to pride and defiance in his voice. Now normally Magnus did not like that word, but there almost felt like a sense of Alec using it against his parents, taking it back in a way. And a laugh bubbled out of Magnus’s throat. A true laugh, gentle and soft, something Magnus hadn’t managed in nearly a century. 

“Whoa,” Magnus said in surprise and Alec was staring at him, the corner of his mouth turned up slightly. 

“You know, I knew my parents were wrong about you the second I saw you,” Alec claimed. 

“Oh yeah?” Magnus said, looking down at his drink. He was doing it. He could feel it, he was softening. NO! You can’t do that you can’t!

“Yeah, Because I couldn’t imagine anything evil having eyes that looked like yours.” For a moment Alec thought Magnus was going to hit him. Instead the Warlock just stood and went into his bedroom, where Alec was forbidden to go. Alec opened his mouth, wanting to apologize, but he couldn’t.


	4. Something that wasn't there before

The next couple of days Alec tip toed around the Warlock but Magnus didn’t seem too upset, he was just very walled off. It wasn’t until a couple week later he saw Alec staring at his book shelf with a contentment in his eyes that probably shouldn’t be in someone’s that was being held captive, that something truly gave between them.

“You still like to read?” Magnus asked. The Shadowhunter jumped having not realized that the Warlock was even in the room, let alone noticing him staring at his books. 

“I-I wasn’t looking at the sp-spell books, i-I just was-“ Alec stammered, taking several steps back, he would never disrespect Magnus’s orders to not touch those. 

“Did your father really burn your books when you disobeyed him?” Magnus asked, remembering the hysterical cries of a four year old as his father threatened to do just that.

Alec winced and nodded, “It was the worst thing he could do.” Magnus knew the man had been physically abused as well, he could tell in his body language and how he’d responded to motions and if Magnus walked into a room without Alec noticing him. He tended to pretend he hadn’t reacted that way fairly quickly, but Magnus saw. “As I got older I’d ask for beatings over that. Books became my sanctuary, my way to forget who I was for a while,” Alec explained. 

“You asked for beatings?” Magnus asked horrified. 

Alec shrugged and nodded, “He never did enough damage that I couldn’t fight, so it was better than having to choose. Sounds silly, I’m aware, but those book told me there were people and places outside of that Institute, outside of New York and that some parents loved their children. Though I knew that, my parents never touched Izzy, Jace or Max, just me, because I am the one who needed it, well-needs it,” 

“They still hit you?!” Magnus asked horrified. 

“No, I mean, not like they used to, when I was young it was getting me on the ground and kicking me, but as I got older that got harder to do, so now they just activate my agony rune.” Alec explained, looking down at a rune on his arm. 

“You say that like you’re giving me a cake recipe,” Magnus murmured. He was no stranger to parental abuse. Provided his hadn’t lasted nearly as long, nor was it as bad, but those words had stuck with him forever. He knew Alec would never get over what was said and done to him either, it didn’t work like that. 

“There is nothing I can do about it,” Alec claimed. “It’s a part of my life,” the dark haired Shadowhunter exhaled heavily. 

“It should have to be,” Magnus grumbled. He wasn’t perfect, but how Maryse and Robert treated this kind, protective, gentle man was repugnant. Alec should be terrified of him, should hate him, but he didn't. Magnus didn't know if it was just because Alec was the type of person that didn't hate easily, or if it was because he didn't treat him as badly as his parents did. The latter made him ache with sadness and fury. 

“Follow me,” Magnus said, “I’m going to show you something,” Alec obeyed, following the Warlock towards his office. Magnus was not as scary as he liked to think he was. Alec could catch him smiling absentmindedly sometimes while he was doing something as simple as brewing a potion. He had started offering Alec foods that were from different countries and made Alec’s eyes roll back it was so good. Something bad had happened to Magnus, something that was not his fault and how he reacted to it, how he protected himself from whatever that pain was, was something Alec could understand. He had old cutting scars that he’d started when he was 9 years old and continued until he was 16. He still did it if things got too bad, but he hadn’t in a while. 

“Close your eyes,” Magnus said with a grin that to anyone else would look like an evil sneer but to Alec looked excited and mischievous. Alec hummed questioningly but let his eyes slip closed. Amazing how quickly he’d trusted Magnus. Perhaps it was because he’d been abused so he knew what to look out for in someone capable of that, and Magnus was not one of those people. It also felt like there was something more. Something that felt familiar from the first time he’d ever seen Magnus as a child, as if their souls had met before and knew each other well. 

A hand touched Alec’s for just a moment before pulling back. Then the touch was there again, leading him carefully forwards. Alec went, letting Magnus guide him without fear. 

Magnus was awed at Alec’s trust in him. At how the Shadowhunter closed his eyes and willing let him lead him into his office. He had a hidden library that he was excited to show Alec. Imagine that, Magnus Bane, excited! He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened. Something about this young man was reminding Magnus what he could be like, what he used to be. Alec didn’t flinch away from him; he was a little hesitant after Magnus had left after Alec said his eyes were not evil. Not because he was angry, of course, but because he didn’t know how to react. How do you react to someone telling you the opposite of what you’d been told your entire life? 

He guided Alec into his library and put him in the middle of it. Alec tilted his head curiously and squeezed the hand in his own. Magnus smiled and squeezed hesitantly back. He wondered if this was a mistake, letting this man see him like this, but he couldn’t begrudge the only child to ever not fear him and the only man to not scowl at him in disgust. 

“Okay, open.” Alec’s eyes popped open at Magnus’s words. He blinked slowly at Magnus before looking past him, then to the left, to the right, then behind himself. 

“Oh my god,” Alec breathed before his face split into a grin. “This is twice as big as the Institute’s library!” He rushed towards the right and laughed as he read the titles, “A lot of these aren’t even in English,” that didn’t seem to put Alec off at all. The he paused, there was no proof that he was allowed to read these, touch these, maybe Magnus just wanted to show him proof that he had that many books. 

“Well you are more than welcome to read any language you know,” Magnus said with a huff of amusement.

“Really?!” Alec asked, giddiness in his voice. “I think I could live 1000 years and never get enough,” he said softly. “I haven’t been able to read a book for pleasure openly since I was 13,” there was now a sadness that made Magnus want to murder Maryse and Robert Lightwood.

“That changes, help yourself,” Magnus said softly.”I’ll show you how to get in, there a trick to-“ he stopped when he saw tears streaming down Alec’s face. Had he hurt him? He thought back on what he’d just said but nothing came to mind but then Alec turned to face him.

“I can never thank you enough,” Alec said softly. 

“I am holding you captive after separating you from your family, I think I owe you,” Magnus claimed. Alec wanted to explain that it had only been two weeks and it was the first time he could ever remember two days in a row that his parents hadn’t found some way to torment him, whether physically or emotionally. It was the first time in his entire life… he felt safe.

Seven books in 10 days had been devoured by the Shadowhunter.

“How have you not read it?! It’s so good! Like this sadist fuck rapes her and she goes and tattoos him and I just- I love badass women,” Alec chatted animatedly at dinner a week later. 

“I’ve seen the movie but-“ Magnus began but then Alec looked up at him with a death glare. 

“No. That does not count. I’m making you read it, though I hope you are talking about the Swedish version and not that Daniel Craig thing,” Alec said with a scoff as he shoved more curry into his mouth.

“Of course the Swedish version, I’m not a savage,” Magnus reported with a flourish of his hand. “I didn’t know Shadowhunters even knew popular culture like that, I thought you guys were just boring racist who worked and trained all day.

“Well…most of us are. But after my parents took all my books away I had to escape somehow, so I bought a computer and downloaded movies,” Alec explained. Magnus scowled Alec saying what his parents did. He was well aware that Alec’s parents were abusive, he’d seem some of it himself when Alec was 4, but every time he learned more, he got angry. Magnus didn’t say anything else until they’d finished dinner and Alec patted his stomach, “Speaking of training though, I’m going to get fat living here,” he said with a chuckle. Living here. Not being held here, not being imprisoned here- living here. As if he was Magnus’s roommate, and he kind of was.

“Well if you want to keep your form up I’ll extend the balcony into a gym for you,” Magnus offered. 

Alec looked at him in surprise. “You-You’d do that for me?” Magnus was getting the feeling there was very little he wouldn’t do for Alexander. Which would backfire and end miserably for Magnus but the joy in Alec’s face at even the smallest amount of kindness made Magnus willing to suffer for him. 

“It’s just a gym,” Magnus said in response. Alec hummed with a tiny curve of his lips, Magnus had no idea how much it was not ‘just’ anything. Perhaps Alec had no gauge of how he should be treated but he didn’t think a ‘prisoner’ should have access to 4000 books and have his own gym. 

And it wasn’t just that. Magnus, though keeping him at arm’s length most of the time, was unusually interested in Alec. Not his accuracy with a bow, not how much force he could put behind a punch, he wanted to know Alec favorite color, if he’d enjoyed that sushi, when did he learn to play piano, what was his favorite book so far, favorite movie. So many questions that Alec didn’t think he own brother and sister knew the answers to. Alec had never had someone hardly notice him, let alone pay attention to him. It probably wasn’t healthy to feel this way about someone who imprisoned you, but it didn’t feel that way anymore. Alec wondered if perhaps they’d met under different circumstances, if they wouldn’t still have been eating curry on the balcony. 

Alec felt for the first time in his life that being himself was good enough. That his love of books and knowledge was nothing to be ashamed of. He didn’t have to worry about paperwork and whether or not he’d do something to incur his parents’ wrath, whether or not Jace and Izzy would do something to get his parents angry at him. Their screw ups were always his fault, he always paid dearly. He still missed his siblings dearly, of course, but being with Magnus, the bad part of his life wasn’t there anymore.

Alec found himself walking around without a tenseness in his shoulders, without peeking around corners. Unless of course he was planning on scaring Magnus. It had happened by accident the first time, Alec had walked into the kitchen where Magnus was cooking, assuming he’d been heard but when he said “That looks delicious,” Magnus had yelped a high pitched squeal that had Alec holding his side laughing at the sound. Magnus had scowled and proceeded to smack Alec on the side playfully with a spoon, making Alec laugh harder. Magnus had found himself laughing as well, that real laugh that had started coming out since he’d captured Alec. It was as if they had both broken out of some kind of curse. Except Magnus was still deformed and Alec was still his prisoner, though, that title fit less and less. Friend was perhaps too strong but something was changing between them. Something that hadn’t been there for Magnus in over a century.

\-------

Ragnor stared at the two. He hadn’t seen Magnus laugh like that since Camille, since Magnus and Camille first met really. Camille had ruined his friends so badly that it hadn’t surprised Ragnor that much that he’d tried to block that pain, he would have done the same. It wasn’t fair what happened to him though, Magnus hadn’t deserved what happened to him with his deformity. Magnus was a caring, generous, giving man before Camille and even now, but a man can only be expected to suffer so much before they broke. 

That’s why watching the way Alec playfully poke Magnus in the side while Magnus pretended to growl and Alec just grinned and poked him again, worried Ragnor so much. 

“This is going to end terribly,” Ragnor muttered to Catarina as Catarina looked up from the potion she was helping Magnus with. 

“Why do you have to be a pessimist?” Catarina asked, glancing at the couple. She hadn’t been particularly thrilled with how close the two were getting either, but it was clearly creating a change in her best friend that she was pleased to see. Maybe Alec wouldn’t break his heart.

“Oh I’m not. A pessimist would probably say this was all an elaborate plan to put a Shadowhunter in the High Warlock’s fold so that he could get intel and then they’d storm the loft and kill us all.” Catarina rolled her eyes at Ragnor’s dramatic tale but the green skinned man wasn’t finished. “No, I’m being a realist, Cat, the second this boy gets the chance he’s going to leave and you know it,” Ragnor claimed. Catarina looked at Alec whose hazel eyes were shining in a way they definitely had not been 30 days before. Magnus’s eyes were soft and open in a way they had not been before either. Shit. 

Catarina had been the person Magnus had called when the potion backfired. He begged her to fix it, to heal him, but this wasn’t something she was capable of fixing. She didn’t think anyone was. Her friend who had been stunningly beautiful inside and out was now most likely facing eternity with this deformity. 

Magnus had shut her and Ragnor for out for a long time right after the accident. Refusing to speak to them, not answering letters and fire messages. It was 25 years until they got any sign of life at all. He sent Ragnor a fire message asking if he had any of the fairy wings he’d had half a century earlier. Ragnor had portaled to Magnus’s loft, shocked that the wards had let him in and reamed him out for making them worry so much and moved to hug him but Magnus coiled away. 

“No, I’m disgusting,” he’d claimed. Ragnor’s heart had broken and he pulled Magnus into a hug anyway. It would be the last, the next time he tried, Magnus put up a bubble claiming ‘personal space’, they had learned not to try anymore. 

Magnus didn’t seem to feel disgusting as Alec stuck his finger in the sauce Magnus was fixing and taste it, his face inches from Magnus’s face. Magnus turned to him and made a disapproving noise and Alec grinned triumphantly. They were now facing each other and if this were another situation, Ragnor could see it becoming a kiss. Instead Alec blushed and pulled away slightly, biting his lower lip shyly before saying something softly that Ragnor couldn’t make out. 

“Maybe Alec will look past what happen,” Catarina suggested. “He certainly doesn’t seem the type to be that shallow.”

“It’s not about shallowness, it’s about the fact that Magnus is still holding him captive and he’s probably acting this way to make the situation as pleasant as he can,” Ragnor explained.

“You know he is abused by his parents, I doubt he even knew his life could be pleasant,” Catarina refused to believe Magnus would be hurt again, because the thought of her friend being mistreated yet again, nearly killed her. As she watched Magnus's eyes follow Alec as he walked around the room, she knew Ragnor was right.


	5. Not a prisoner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is Alec really a prisoner anymore? A surprise guest also tears down the final wall.

Alec felt like he had become addicted to the feeling of Magnus’s magic. Even if it wasn’t being used on Alec, Magnus would heal sore muscles after training and he’d healed him when Alec had started getting a stomach bug, but usually it wasn’t used on Alec, just around him. Conjuring food, making potions, helping clients, Magnus’s magic was almost always hanging in the air and Alec loved the feeling, the slight electricity feel but not the kind that shocked but the kind that surged. 

He’d learned the smell, even learned that the different types had different smells. Healing magic smelled like toasted marshmallows, defensive magic smelled like burnt sugar, he’d had to use defensive magic when a client tried to walk out without paying. At first he had stayed in the guest room whenever a client came by, but as they got more comfortable around each other, Alec would stay in the living room or kitchen, just nearby, like a body guard that was not actually needed. Alec had never smelled Magnus’s aggressive magic but Magnus said it smelled like firewood. 

Alec had smelled Magnus once after he’d over done it and his magic was spent, he’d smelled like burnt metal. The feeling and smell had become a comfort thing for Alec. He could tell when someone had entered Magnus’s wards, it felt like a whoosh of air passing by him. Pleasant and gentle, usually. 

“I have to go meet a client, they can’t come here,” Magnus had said one day during lunch. “It’s a location sensitive situation,” he explained when Alec had looked at him confused. 

“Oh. The Institute’s Wards,” Alec said softly. Magnus nodded, studying Alec, looking for a reaction. Emotions flurried through his eyes, sadness, hurt, anger, relief? Alec blinked rapidly and inhaled, “If you see Izzy and Jace please tell them I’m okay,” he whispered. Part of Magnus wanted to let him come with him, just set him free, he wasn’t a prisoner anymore. Then part of Magnus knew if this man left him, he’d be alone again, he’d go back to his hate filled, bitter days and he wasn’t sure he wanted that. 

“And if I run into your parents?” Magnus asked gently. 

Alec looked up at him with a quiet scoff, “They won’t ask about me.”

“I have a few words I’d like to say to them about what they did to you,” Magnus growled in a way that Alec felt was almost protective. Alec smiled quietly, Magnus was nothing like he’d expected, nothing like he’d dreamed he’d be when he first got here. “After that I am going to run over to the vampire nest to do some work for them, will you be okay alone?” 

Alec let out a soft chuckle, smiling warmly, “I’m in the middle of A Little Life, I doubt I’ll even notice you’re gone.”

“Wow, way to make a guy feel special,” Magnus teased. 

“I’m sorry but Jude St. Francis is far more tortured than you and deserves all of my attention,” Alec reported. 

Magnus wiggled in his seat dramatically, “Well then, Mr. Lightwood, Jude St. Francis can conjure you your morning coffee from now on.” 

“Noooo,” Alec laughed moving to his knees in front of Magnus, his hands folded in pretend prayer. “Mercy, mercy oh High Warlock of Brooklyn,” Magnus chuckled at Alec’s theatrics and his heart fluttered. This man was tearing down his walls without even knowing it. Alec sat back on his heels, still grinning, “I’ll be fine,” he promised. 

Magnus nodded and smiled weakly, how had he been so stupid to let him so close?

Magnus left the apartment, it was the first time he’d left the loft since Alec had been there. He wasn’t sure if the wards should feel differently after Magnus left. He felt like they should feel stronger, they were supposed to keep him in after all and of course unwanted visitors out. Alec tested it, walking slowly out of the loft, he pushed against the force field and it let him through, he stepped fully out and his eyes widened in surprise. He truly wasn’t trapped here anymore, he could leave. He blinked and stepped back in and reentering the loft. He sat back on the couch, pulling the throw blanket over him, he reopened his book and smiled at the feeling of comfort and… home.

He knew he shouldn’t feel this way about Magnus. Magnus was still technically his captor, but was he? The wards had let him through, whether on purpose or not, he was no longer being kept there against his will. He’d very much walked back in with intention. Sure, he was enjoying not being abused every day, but that wasn’t the only reason he came back. He came back for that laugh, for those stunning eyes that looked into his soul, for the gentle hands that healed him when he hurt. He came back for the man who let him go on and on for hours about the book he read that day, who treated him like a person, who tried to hide his kindness and care behind a beastly face. But he couldn’t. Alec had seen his heart, it was a beautiful heart, one that had been shattered so completely that Magnus would rather shut everyone out then let it get touched again. Alec had grown to care about Magnus, to care about him deeply. The idea that he might ever be made to leave, made Alec ache.

A few hours later he felt the wards hum, it an hour past sunset. He didn’t even look up when the door opened, because who could it possibly be but Magnus. It wasn’t Magnus. 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the voice was cold, mocking and terrifying. He snapped up to see a pale woman with black hair and red lips. Camille. He knew her instantly from her Institute file. “Mmm no wonder Magnus hasn’t called me, he’s got such a pretty boy toy keeping him company,” Alec scowled at her words and he got to his feet. His hand itched for a weapon that was not there. 

“I’m not his boy toy, I’m his-“ he cut himself off, no way he could say he was Magnus’s prisoner, because he wasn’t. “Friend,” he said. The word didn’t feel particularly right in his mouth. Camille walked forward and he countered it with a step back until he hit the wall. She chuckled and walked up next to him. 

“You truly are beautiful, Shadowhunter,” she purred. Alec tried to push her away, tried to fight her but without his weapons she was stronger than him. She purred as she held him against the wall and sniffed his neck. Alec growled and tried once more in vain to get away but she just chuckled. “And you smell divine, Magnus has been feeding you well, remind me to thank him,” suddenly teeth sank in and he cried out in pain but it became a moan quickly as the poison acted as a blood releasing endorphins and causing pleasure. 

“Get your hands off him!” Magnus’s voice hit him and the teeth were gone and Alec slumped in relief. 

“What the hell?” Camille hissed when she saw Magnus. Magnus rushed over to Alec, healing the hole Camille had dug and clearing his head. “Who did this to you?” Camille asked, ignoring the fact that she still had Alec’s blood on her lips. 

“Get out,” Magnus growled, putting himself between Alec and Camille. 

“Not until you tell me who did this to your beautiful face so I can kill them,” she snarled in such a way that Alec wondered if this woman loved him. “Ugh and you can’t even glamour those hideous eyes, they’re the worst part,” she claimed. Alec felt more than saw Magnus wall crumble. It was subtle, he shifted and his head ducked before moving back up. Camille walked up to him, “I was here to let you fuck me, but I can’t with those eyes,” she claimed.

“Let him fuck you?” Alec snapped from behind Magnus. 

“Alexander,” Magnus said softly but Alec pushed in front of Magnus. 

“You waltz in here, attack me, then insult Magnus, and expect him to want to fuck you?” he asked, glowering at her. She laughed, the sound jarring and uncomfortable. 

“Oh Magnus always come crawling back to me. How long has it been, Dear, a century? Maybe a little more?” Camille asked but Alec used his body so that she couldn’t see Magnus. “We’re immortals, you might satisfy him for now but in the end, you’ll die, as thankfully all mortals do, and then it’ll be me and Maggie again,” Alec felt Magnus flinched. 

“Leave,” Alec bit. He heard a snap and felt a dagger in his hand, he smirked. “Now.” 

“Oh are you going to-“ Camille gasped when Alec moved forward and there was a knife at her throat.

“Yes. I am going to make you. Now get out or I slice you open like the carcass you are,” Alec threatened. 

“You’re just going to let him speak to me like that?” Camille asked Magnus indignantly. Magnus was frozen, unmoving, not even looking up. Then she let out a cry as Alec pressed the knife hard enough that it broke skin,

“I will not tell you again,” Alec warned. Camille huffed but headed to the door,

“When this thing leaves you or dies, and you clear up that skin and eye situation, give me a call, love.” 

Alec slammed the door behind her, “You really should line your doorway with silver or-“ Alec was turning back around when he saw Magnus fully fall to the floor, shaking like a leaf. “Magnus!” he cried worried and rushed to his side, his dagger clattering to the floor. “Magnus, what’s wrong, how can I help you,” Alec asked, looking frantically for any sign of harm. “Magnus,” Alec grabbed Magnus’s face, holding it gently to get his attention. It was the first time anyone had willingly touched his face in 100 years. He slowly looked up at Alec whose eyes were filled with worry and fear, but, rather unexpectedly, it was for his well-being, not his ugliness. “Are you okay?” Alec asked so gently that Magnus almost burst into tears. 

“Not really, Alexander, would you help me up?” Magnus admitted. Instantly Alec was hauling him to his feet, all he really had to do was put his feet under himself. 

Alec helped him to the couch and kneeled in front of him, “Can I make you some tea? A drink? I only know how to make a Manhattan but…” Magnus smiled sadly, still not meeting Alec’s eyes. 

“No, but I would like to explain why I’m like this,” Magnus admitted. Alec had to confess he was surprised, Magnus still didn’t talk about himself very much and whenever Alec tried he shut down. “I-“ Magnus tried to begin but took in a deep breath, “I am like this because of Camille.” 

Alec looked at him confused before moving from kneeling to sitting next to him on the couch. “But she said-“ 

“She didn’t do it,” Magnus reported. He hesitated, how could he reveal how pathetic he was to Alec, Magnus had quite grown to enjoy. He would ask to leave, and Magnus would let him, he shouldn’t have to stay with him. “I was in love with her,” he whispered. “Truly, deeply in love, and I thought she felt the same. We were together 139 years, quite a long time even in an immortal’s life.” Magnus said with a heartbroken smile. “I found her in bed in our bed with someone else. When I grew angry she laughed in my face and said ‘Oh silly, Maggie, it’s not like we were in love.’” Alec flinched for him, “I was shattered, Alexander. I had never felt such pain. So like a child I tried to create a potion that would stop me from feeling, it was meant to take away my heart,” Magnus explained. 

“Magnus,” Alec breathed sadly. 

“I know, it’s stupid, well magic likes to punish people who misuse it, so instead of taking my feelings it did this to my face, so I can still feel everything, all the pain, all the heartbreak but no one would ever fall in love with me again. So I can be hurt, by every word, by every hand pulled away when I even come close, by every child screaming in horror, well, except one.” Magnus muttered quietly and Alec smiled softly. “I have tried to fix it, tried to cure myself, but of course it can’t be that easy. I do believe I am stuck this way,” Magnus admitted. 

Alec’s face fell in sympathy and sadness. “I know you don’t like to talk about them, but… Why do your eyes freak Camille out so much?” Alec asked. Magnus shut them, wishing they could do as they used to and when he opened his eyes he’d have beautiful brown eyes, normal eyes.

“Because, that’s my Warlock mark, that’s the sign I’m half demon,” Magnus said shamefully. Alec didn’t say anything for a moment before reaching out and with two fingers on his chin, guided his face back so that it was looking up at Alec. Slowly Magnus opened his eyes again.

“I know what they are,” Alec stated. “What I don’t understand is everyone else aversion to them. Am I really the only one to finds them beautiful?” there was a tone of curiosity and almost hurt in his voice that compelled Magnus to answer.

“Yes, Alexander, you are truly the only one in all my life,” Magnus admitted. 

Alec sighed and let out a grunt of frustration, “Well they’re all wrong. And if I ever get the chance can you please give me permission to kill that bitch?” Alec growled. 

“Why would you feel the need to ask my permission?” Magnus asked with humor in his voice.

“Because you loved her. I wouldn’t want to hurt you like that,” Alec said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Magnus looked at him confused for a moment, the corner of his lips going upward in a smile. 

“Maybe one day,” Magnus agreed. Alec chuckled lightly and grinned at him, something fluttered in Alec’s stomach that he’d only felt once, for a boy in Idris that had held his hand and blushed at his kisses until the boy’s parents had found out and they’d left overnight, without so much as a good bye. He’d known something was happening between them but he hadn’t actually expect it to feel so reciprocated. 

Alec had never been allowed to be himself anywhere before, but here- here he could read as many book as he wanted, train what he wanted, make jokes, jokes that Magnus actually laughed at, and he didn’t have to act like a proper ‘Lightwood’, he could just be Alec. He probably shouldn't be happiest as a Warlock’s prisoner, but other than his siblings, Alec found he missed nothing about his old life.


	6. Gelato and freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short but Magnus let's Alec go! Will Alec stay or will he leave forever? Read and find out!

It had been two months and Alec and Magnus had grown used to each other and developed a routine that included one of them cooking breakfast, depending on who woke up first. Then they would start on work. Magnus had given Alec a computer and Alec had hacked into the Institute’s monitoring system, “Well I did make the latest upgrade so…” he’d said when Magnus expressed his surprise. He was beginning to think he would never ceased to be surprised by this Shadowhunter. 

Having access to the system meant being able to keep tabs on his siblings and the goings on in the Shadow World. Though he had to admit, Shadowhunters had Downworlders very wrong and if he was ever to go back to the Institute, the first thing he would want to start changing was the way his people dealt with Downworlders. Max had survived the illness that sent Izzy to Magnus in the first place. Magnus was glad when Alec had told him, he wished he hadn’t been so angry back then, he would have actually thought about how no 12 year old deserved to die, Shadowhunter or not. Plus… the child was important to Alec which had taken on new meaning in the past two months. 

Mostly though, Alec choose not to look at information from the Institute more than twice a day. Not because it made him sad or anything but because there was nothing he could do about the information given. He’d searched himself and laughed out loud where it read ‘Missing In Action’ for he knew Izzy and Jace would have said he was kidnapped but his father would refuse to believe he was still there of his own free will. 

It was one morning when Alec was watching the camera in the Ops Center, Izzy was starting determinedly at the screen with Magnus’s profile pulled up. Izzy searched every day for ways to get to Alec, she never gave up, nor did Jace, he was sometimes the face that stared intently at the screen looking for answers. Magnus watched as Alec smiled softly at his sister who had her hair pulled out of her face and a fierce look on her face. 

“I swear to you, Alec, I will save you,” the girl swore. 

Alec chuckled lightly, taking Magnus aback slightly, he sounded almost dismissive, “I think that I was saved the minute Magnus told me I was here forever.” 

“ISABELLE!” Alec quickly shut the computer at the sound of his father’s voice. He couldn’t get near him and it still made Alec flinch to hear that biting tone. He knew though that Robert would never hit Izzy. Magnus was staring at Alec in shock, his mind still on ‘I was saved the minute Magnus told me I was here forever.’ Alec viewed him as a savior? How was that possible? And it certainly couldn’t be healthy. Stockholm Syndrome was never something he’d expected or wanted for Alec, well obviously he hadn’t wanted it for him, no wants it for another person. He couldn’t let this beautiful man stay here, continuing to think this was happiness.

How was he supposed to say goodbye? He knew he’d fallen in love with him. He hadn’t meant to and it had definitely happened despite all his efforts to keep him out. Alec was easy to love though. His brave soul, his kind heart, his ability to see what no one else saw, it wasn’t hard to see why he would fall for this stunning man. Magnus had spent a century keeping everyone out, and now in the span of 60 short days, that had all been crumbled by a pair of hazel eyes and a crooked smile. As the Warlock studied the man, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. The pain would be paralyzing, soul shattering, but for this person, it was worth it.

“You know what I’d die for?” Magnus asked. Alec no longer jumped at Magnus’s surprise presence, instead he turned and smiled, his head tilted in question, “A gelato.” 

Alec let out a soft laugh at the randomness of the statement. “At 9 in the morning?” he questioned. 

“Well it’s 3pm in Florence so…” A portal appeared with a wave of his hand and Alec’s eyes widened before he grinned and nodded excitedly. Magnus wasn’t sure if it was because he was finally getting out of the loft, finally getting the chance to be free or if he really just wanted gelato.

It was neither. When Magnus had opened the portal Alec realized it would be the first time in what Alec imagined was a very long time that Magnus was going out of his loft for pleasure. He offered Magnus his hand who hesitated before taking it slowly and allowed himself to be pulled into the portal. 

As soon as they stepped into the small gelato shop, Magnus remembered why he didn’t go out. Words like ‘brutto’ ‘bestia’ and monstro hit him and he pulled back into himself but Alec took both hands in his own and smiled. 

“Ignore those stronzi, they’re just stupido and piccolo,” Alec said, spitting the Italian words at the other customers who at least did seem ashamed. 

“They’re right,” Magnus sighed but Alec shook his head, “Oh come on Alexander, you can be as kind as you want but you are not blind.” 

“No, I’m not, but what I see doesn’t match what I know, I know your heart and it is so beautiful, Magnus, which means if they could see what I see, they’d know they’re looking at the most beautiful person in the room…” Magnus blinked at the Shadowhunters words, gulping hard and bringing up Alec’s hands to kiss, still expecting Alec to pull back, even after all this time of knowing that Alec wasn’t bothered by his skin, by his deformity. Alec didn’t pull back, instead he smiled and Magnus’s heart shuttered. “Now, tell me your favorite is chocolate because this trip is pointless if you don’t like chocolate,” Alec grinned and turned towards the counter. The cashier’s eyes were staring at Magnus until a sharply cleared throat and a glare from Alec quickly had his eyes on the other man. 

“You shouldn’t be quite so boring Alexander,” Magnus teased and ordered cinnamon and pear scoops while Alec decided to get seasonal chestnut flavor and coffee flavor, agreeing that maybe trying new things wouldn’t be so bad. ‘Coffee is hardly a new experience for you, Alexander,’ Magnus had pointed out, earning a playfully ‘hush’ from the Shadowhunter.

The spend the day in Florence, it was after sunset when they were in a park with violinst nearby when Magnus was yet again surprised by Alec.

“Would you like to dance with me?” Alec asked suddenly. Magnus’s mouth fell open as Alec stood and held out his hand. What was it about this boy? He’d found his way into Magnus’s heart so easily, almost too easily. 

“Wha-What? Dance? I haven’t danced in years,” Magnus said even as he took Alec’s hand and let himself be hauled to his feet. 

“Well then it’s about time you did wouldn’t you say?” he laughed and turned Magnus around on his finger. 

“Wait,” Magnus laughed, actually laughed, “I might have two left feet.”

“That’s okay, I probably have two right,” Alec grinned and Magnus felt his heart melt further. He knew he loved this boy, he’d failed to keep his heart safe and untouched yet again, and he had the feeling this boy would hurt him worst of all. 

As they danced Alec studied his face, he could tell the man had once been handsome. There was a gentility to his eyes and a warmth to the bow of his lip that Alec could see the man in the pictures in the apartment. 

“Where did you learn to dance like this?” Magnus whispered as Alec danced as if floating on a cloud. 

Alec smirked, “We had a lot of balls in Idris, any excuse to dress up and force your kids to dress up and parade them around like trophies. I hated it, but the dancing I enjoyed, I even liked dancing with girls.” He whispered that part scandalously and Magnus gasped exaggeratedly. 

“Girls?! The horror,” Alec laughed like he hadn’t in years, with his head back and his mouth open. 

“I’ll admit, I much prefer dancing with you,” Alec whispered softly, his head resting on Magnus’s shoulder. As they swayed Magnus created a portal around them and pulled it over them, putting them back in the apartment where he quickly put more music on and the dancing continued. 

“There you-“ Catarina’s mouth dropped open at the sight before her and Ragnar flinched at seeing his friend so content. Not that he didn’t want that for Magnus, he just knew this wouldn’t have a happy ending. 

Neither dancer had noticed the two Warlocks in the room, too involved with each other. Magnus blinked rapidly and swallowed hard, he couldn’t keep Alec here any longer, he couldn’t force this beautiful soul to stay with him. This day had been about saying goodbye, about giving him one more thing to remember him by. Magnus could live 5000 years and not forget the two months. Alec would never leave him, not really, he’d always be in his heart.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispered, getting a hum in returned as they continued to sway. “I am so sorry for what I did to you,” Alec pulled away slightly, not releasing him but looking into his eyes in confusion. “For keeping you here, for trapping you without being able to say good bye to your siblings. I was an angry and cruel person, I am an angr-“ Alec put his finger gently on Magnus’s lips to stop him. 

“You are not, you are a deeply hurt person but you are also funny, and kind, and giving. An angry person wouldn’t have let me out of the cage, a cruel person would have only fed me and given me water when I truly needed it. You conjure me food from any place in the world, you took me to get gelato, how is that cruel? You have treated me better than my own parents do, I know cruelty, Mags, and you are not it.” A tear slipped down Magnus’s cheek, much to his surprise, he didn’t know he was capable of tears. 

Ragnar and Catarina knew this boy had stolen Magnus’s heart, they only hoped Alec wouldn’t break it for there would be no coming back from that. 

“I-I find myself unable to force you to stay here any longer,” Magnus claimed. Ragnar flinched and Catarina gasped, he was willing giving up his one shot. 

“Yo-you’re letting me go?” Alec asked shocked. Magnus flinched and for once was glad his distorted face would hide the pain from Alec. 

“Yes, Alexander, I am letting you go,” Magnus agreed. Alec, however, didn’t move. He stared at Magnus before kissing his cheek. 

“I can go get Izzy, and Jace, and Max?” he said with a lightness to his voice that Magnus had taken from him. Or so Magnus thought. Alec had no intention of staying away from Magnus, but he still loved his siblings and was merely asking permission to bring them back there.

“Yes,” Magnus said and his heart broke. Alec let out a happy chuckle and hugged him tightly, Magnus didn’t think he would stand for the man to let him go. But he did, after several seconds,

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” he kissed Magnus’s cheek again before turning and running out of loft. He felt not need to tell Magnus he’d be back in a less than a couple hours, Magnus knew. Except he didn’t, instead Magnus took a breath in before collapsing on the ground.

“Magnus!” Catarina said in concern as her friend clutched his chest and sobbed. Sobbed in a way Catarina had never seen. 

“I-I-I” Magnus sobbed “I ha-had to-to-to let-let him-mm g-go.” Catarina held him in her arms, looking up at Ragnar who looked helpless.

“We know.”


	7. The Real Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec makes it back to the Institute, Magnus is grieving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short! Wanted to leave you guys hanging one last time! Thank you for everyone who is sticking with me.

Alec ran into the Institute, his eyes searching for Izzy or Jace. 

“Alec?” the voice came from behind him but he knew it better than his own. 

“Izzy!” He turned around and threw his arms around the tiny woman who was instantly sobbing in her brother’s arms. 

“I thought I’d never see you again,” she moaned. Alec shushed her gently, kissing her hair over and over in happiness. “How did you escape?” she asked as she pulled back. 

“I didn’t escape, he let me go,” Alec smiled. 

“That monster let you go?” Izzy asked, amazed.

“He’s not a monster, Iz, he was just really very sad,” he explained. It was weird, now that he’d seen Izzy, he felt the pull to go back to Magnus. Maybe he had developed Stockholm syndrome. It didn’t matter, he knew he’d want to go visit Magnus, regardless of the reasoning. And he knew the reasoning. He’d developed feelings for the Warlock. “But he’s so kind and funny and I actually want you, Jace and Max to-“

“Oh you’re back,” this voice caused Alec to pale and wish more than anything he was back with Magnus. 

“Father,” he said as he looked up to see Robert who looked annoyed that he was back. Well he didn’t have to worry, his children would be out of his hair soon enough. 

“I had so much extra work today while you were off being that Warlock’s bitch, but now that your back-“

“He was kidnapped, Dad!” Izzy screeched. 

“I don’t care if he was, he is a Shadowhunter and should have found a way to get free by now,” Robert growled. Alec knew he could have, those wards had let him out long before. He hadn’t wanted to. He could have come back over a month from now, but he hadn’t, because he lov- really cared about Magnus. He had been tempted to beg Magnus to never make him leave. But he’d missed Izzy, Jace and Max. “He probably liked what the Warlock did to him,” his father claimed. Yes, Alec had, he had enjoyed being treated with decency and care. He had enjoyed being told stories of adventures and love. He’d enjoyed laughing, and reading, and smiling and dancing. He had finally been free with Magnus. 

“Yes! I did! I liked the way he spoke to me like I was a person instead of a burden! I liked the way he called me Alexander and acted like I wasn’t some disgusting thing. I liked HIM!” Alec yelled when suddenly he was punched so hard it threw him into the wall. Izzy yelled at Robert but he charged again, but this time Alec was ready and fought back. For the first time in 24 years, he truly fought back. He grabbed Robert’s wrist and pushed it down. “I was treated better by a Downworlder than I ever had by either you or mom. He was never the monster. You are!” 

Robert grew still and Alec’s stomach dropped. “You are going to learn what a monster truly is,” Robert hissed and for the first time in a while, Alec was truly afraid. “And that thing you think you have feelings for, when you wake up, he’s going to be dead.” Terror filled him at the thought of Magnus being hurt because of him. And he had no way to warm him. No one threatened Magnus and got away with it. 

“You stay away from him, you are not worthy to clean his shoes,” Alec snarled but before he could move he saw a hand with something in it coming at him. 

“Dad! What are you-“ Izzy’s voice was the last thing he heard before a sharp stab shot through his neck and everything went dark. The memory of yellow eyes was the last thing he saw before he went unconscious. 

 

Catarina finally managed to get Magnus to the couch where the tears slowly stopped falling. He knew it was going to happen, Alexander didn’t deserve to be stuck inside this cold loft, he deserved to be a Shadowhunter, with his siblings. That did not make his heart break any easier to bare. He let Catarina and Ragnor put a blanket around him and hand him a tea, which he turned to whiskey before asking them to leave. 

“Magnus… please,” Catarina whispered at Magnus’s request to be left alone. 

“Maybe he will come back,” Ragnor said, hopeful that his friend had not been abandoned yet again. The younger Warlock looked so dejected that Ragnor feared for him in a way he never had before. The pain that shined through those yellow eyes was enough to make Ragnor flinch away. Alec could have at least waited until Magnus was asleep, he didn’t have to run out the moment Magnus offered. It was cruel, and Ragnor hadn’t thought the boy was cruel. 

“Why should he come back? The only thing I have to offer is myself, and that’s never been enough for anyone,” Magnus stated. “Though, I’ll admit, I had stupidly let myself hope he was different, which is foolish.” Magnus had let himself feel, let himself love again, and now, this is what he got, what he deserved for falling for a man that he imprisoned. “Now please respect my wishes and leave me in peace,” he said firmly but with a gentility that wasn’t there before Alec. 

Catarina and Ragnor looked at each other before nodding, “Please call if you need me, please don’t shut us out again,” Catarina begged as Ragnor made a portal. “We care about you,” she reminded him as they left the apartment. When the portal whooshed close Magnus let out the breath he was holding and buried his face in his hands. Camille had hurt him, but it hadn’t felt like this, this felt like death would be preferable. He opened his eyes to see A Little Life sitting on the coffee table, bookmark still marking Alec’s place. He hadn’t finished it yet, Magnus waved his hand and sent the book to Alec’s room in the Institute, knowing he’d want to have it. 

Magnus had once had it all, the looks, the money, the adoring fans, none of whom he actually needed, but they were nice to have around to give adoration. When Camille hurt him and he ruined his face, they’d been the first to abandon him. He’d decided after that, he didn’t need anyone, that having people around lead to nothing but pain, but he knew nothing of pain back then. Of course it had hurt to be cheated on by the person you loved, obviously it hurt, he tried to remove his heart rather than feel it. In that moment, however, he wanted to feel every ounce of the agony of Alec being gone. Because if it hurt then at least it meant that he had been there, that he’d gotten into Magnus’s soul. Perhaps in another world he and Alec could have met in a normal way, with Magnus not having a deformed face and not having taken Alec prisoner and Alec could have grown to love him, same as Magnus had grown to love the Shadowhunter. Then maybe Magnus wouldn’t be staring at the door, praying that Alec would walk back through it, because he would know he would be once he was finished with his day and he was coming home, to Magnus. 

That would never happen now. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there, staring at the wall with Alec overriding his thoughts but he felt a tug on his wards, it wasn’t Alexander. The wards were keeping these Shadowhunters out, because they meant him harm, of course Alec had sent people after him, you can’t keep a Lightwood captive and not expect repercussions. He lowered his wards, letting them in. There were three of them. Part of him wanted to let them kill him, end it all, but the other part couldn’t die, because who then would check in on Alec from time to time? Who would make sure he was happy, and had enough books, and that his parents weren't hurting him?

“Bane!” Jace. He vaguely remembered that voice, confident in a way Alec’s hadn’t been, steady in a way Alec’s parents would never allow for the raven haired boy. Jace was beautiful in a way that was almost blinding, flashy and aggressive in its demands to be noticed. Not the way Alec was at all. Alec’s beauty was quiet, but obvious, like a sunset, not demanding that it be witnessed, but a gift to all who chose to look. 

“Hello, Jace,” Magnus said as the door opened from the force of Jace’s shoulder. “The door was unlocked,” he claimed, not looking up. 

“Where is my brother?!” Jace growled. Magnus looked up confused before his eyes fell on the man behind Jace, never before had he hated Robert Lightwood more. How could someone hurt their child the way Robert hurt Alec. His kind, intelligent, brave son, who wanted nothing more than to be loved the way anyone would deserve? But the people whose love was supposed to come so naturally, they beat him down, hurting him, making him feel small, when Alec should know that he was capable of moving mountains. 

“Warlock’s lie, Jace,” Robert growled, “Nothing he says can be believed.” Magnus let out an amused, bitter laugh, “Nothing that hideous can have any ounce of honor.” 

“Honor,” Magnus said, looking at Robert, “Like the honor you have every time you hurt Alexander? Is that what you mean by honor? Because if so, you’re right, I have no honor.” Jace looked at his father confused for a second before Raj threw a ninja star at Magnus who blocked it easily with his magic. “Don’t be so naïve, Jace, you are Alec’s Parabatai? In the past two months have you felt any kind of pain or fear? At least in the way that you used to?” Magnus blocked an attacked from Robert, who growled in fury as Magnus spoke to Jace. Jace looked hesitant, Magnus was right, he had actually felt more happiness from his Parabatai bond then he could ever remember. 

“Don’t be stupid, Jace! He’s a Warlock, for all we know he could have put Alec under some kind of spell!” Robert bit and Magnus could see Jace’s face go hard, coming to the conclusion that that made more sense. Magnus sighed, it didn’t matter, he didn’t care if Jace believed him, it just would have been nice. The three hunters came at him full force, Magnus smirked, he’d seen Alec train and knew, only slightly biasedly, that Alec was the best among them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter!


	8. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end is here! Will they get a happy ending?

Alec woke with a groan, everything was too bright. 

“Alec,” a voice said questioningly. Lydia? Alec blinked slowly as he forced his eyes open. His friend stood outside his cell. Cell?! NO! He lunged for the door but a shock brought him jerking his hand back with a cry.

“Please, Lydia, please you have to let me go! How long have I been out?! They haven’t tried to attack him yet have they? They can’t kill him, they’ll hurt him, please!” He begged the blond who looked at him hesitantly. 

“You love him, don’t you?” Alec inhaled sharply at the question. Was the feeling he felt for Magnus love? It didn’t feel like he felt for his siblings, it was deeper, as if in a different part of his heart.

“I think I do, is he-?” There was a click and Alec knew the door was no longer going to hurt him. He burst out of it and threw his arms around her. “Thank you! I’m not too late am I?”

“Not if you hurry,” Lydia claimed. Alec nodded and accepted his stele and bow that she offered,

“Do you know where Izzy is?” he asked as he activated his speed and endurance rune. 

“No, but I can find her, what do you want me to do?” Lydia asked. She always thought Alec would be a better leader than his parents, she’d seen something in him the moment she met him. So if he asked her to do something, she was going to do it.

“Tell her to come to Magnus’s as soon as she can, and call Catarina Loss and tell her Alec sent you and to wait for a fire message from me, I might need her.” Lydia nodded and Alec paused a moment more to look at her, “Thank you Lydia,” and he was gone. 

He reached Magnus’s apartment in 7 minutes, but he could see there was already fighting happening. He bent his knees and jumped to the balcony. Robert, Jace, and Raj were coming at Magnus from every side and the Warlock was only throwing defensive magic back at then, not hurting them, not obliterating them with a snap of his finger like Alec knew he could. 

“Stop!” Alec cried, catching everyone’s attention as he entered the room. 

“Alexander,” Magnus breathed. It distracted him and Robert slashed Magnus’s shoulder with a dagger, causing the Warlock to let out a cry of pain. 

“NO!” Alec cried and shot off four arrows, pinning Robert to the wall. 

“It would appear you have no problem escaping our prison,” Robert hissed. 

Jace’s eyes flashed, and Magnus’s magic flashed red for the first time.

“Prison?!” both Jace and Magnus asked at the same time.

“You said he sent a note with a ransom demand! You mean Alec was home?!” Jace snarled, turning on his father. Alec turned to Magnus who was looking at him like he was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Alec couldn’t help but wonder if he looked the same. 

“I thought I was too late,” Alec pulled Magnus into his arms as Jace yelled at their father. Magnus let out a sound of relief and distress all at once, his shoulder bleeding heavily, “I’ll call Cat, it’ll be okay.” 

“Alexander,” Magnus whispered. “I thought I’d never see you again.” Alec smiled and cupped Magnus’s face in his hand,

“I was going to come back. You gave me freedom, I was just going to free Izzy, Jace and Max from that cage so they could know it too.” Magnus’s eyes filled with tears as did Alec’s but then Robert pulled off the arrows and pushed Jace back. 

“No son of mine is going to be a Warlock’s pet. You will die first,” he growled and moved to plunge his guisarme into Alec but Magnus spun around, putting himself in front of Alec. His eyes widening with pain as the metal hook pierced and slid into the flesh above his collar bone and going down, dangerously close to his lungs and heart. He may be an ass, but Robert Lightwood knew how to kill someone. 

“Magnus!” Alec screamed, when the weapon was only half way in, stabbing his father’s arm with another arrow, causing the eldest Lightwood to release his weapon and cry out in pain. Alec caught Magnus as he collapsed. “Jace, get them out of here before I murder them.” He half snapped, half sobbed. Magnus struggled to breathe as his lungs filled with blood. 

“By the angel,” Alec whispered as he held the guisarme to stabilize it in Magnus’s wound. “I’m going to send Cat a fire message, just-“ Magnus shook his head and put his hands on top of Alec’s as the other hand reached for his stele. Alec was weeping heavily, “Why on earth would you do that?” Tears streamed down his face as he pressed his face against Magnus’s. 

“Bec-cause I lov-ve you,” Magnus said, his voice strained and blood expelling from his mouth at every exhale. Alec pulled back just enough to look at him fully, sobs still hiccuping in his throat.

“I love you too. That beautiful heart of yours taught me for the first time that I deserve to be loved back,” Alec cried. Jace came back into the loft and gasped as he looked at Magnus, he looked human, the deformity was gone. 

“Jace, send Catarina Loss a fire message, tell her Magnus is dying and she needs to get here, I can’t lose him.” Alec instructed, kissing Magnus’s lips desperately. “Please don’t leave me, please stay, I just found you, please don’t leave me alone again,” he pleaded.

“Never-r leave -ou, Alex-xand-der,” Magnus promised just before his eyes flickered closed and his hand fell limp beside him. Alec let out a moan of grief that filled Jace’s eyes with tears as Catarina ran through the portal that appeared in the loft. 

“No!” She cried and immediately began healing him. Alec sobbed, his face buried in Magnus’s neck, kissing the skin as he whispered pleadingly in his ear. Catarina blinked in surprise, she knew they’d developed feelings for each other, but she didn’t know it went this far on Alec’s side. Her friend’s face was clear of any sign of the curse it had been deformed with for over 100 years. She didn’t know what did it, and she didn’t care. Magnus was nearly dead, but nearly was not dead. 

“Alec!” Izzy’s voice hit him, but Alec couldn’t look up, couldn’t move away from Magnus. He was glad his sister and brother was okay, but if he lost Magnus… he wasn’t sure he would be. Catarina probably should have told them to take Alec away so she could work, but Alec wasn’t in her way and as this man clung to her best friend like he was the most valuable thing in his life… she’d be damned if she forced them apart. 

Alec pulled away after about 10 minutes, but didn’t take his eyes off Magnus, didn’t release his grip on the Warlock’s hand. 

“If you need my strength, Cat, just say the word,” he breathed as he watch Magnus’s chest rise and fall. Izzy and Jace met eyes in surprise, this man had kidnapped Alec, held him for 2 months, and though Jace hadn’t felt pain, he hadn’t guessed this either. Perhaps because was so unused to any real positive emotions coming from Alec, he hadn’t been able to sort what they all meant. 

It took Catarina half an hour before she sat back with a sigh of exhaustion. The wound was closed and Magnus was healed, but still unconscious. 

“Why did you stop?” Alec asked, the tears having stopped but the fear still there.

“There is nothing left to heal, he’ll be fine,” Catarina claimed. Alec let out a cry of relief and hugged her tightly. 

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“No, thank you, you cured him,” she motioned to his face but Alec shook his head with a wet chuckle.

“He let me in, he cured himself,” Catarina grin and nodded at Alec’s explanation.

“Oh, hi,” Alec said with a soft laugh when he remembered Jace and Izzy. “I missed you,” he hugged Jace tightly as Jace laughed at his brother being alive, healthy and in love. He hugged Izzy again who beamed at him, glad that her brother finally seemed to the happiness she’d always known he deserved. “Help me get him to his bed,” Alec ordered Jace as they separated, motioning to Magnus.

“I am more than capable of getting to my own bed Alexander, I will not have two Shadowhunters carrying me,” the voice said from the floor. Alec grinned and scooped Magnus into his arms, ignoring the groan of pain at his still tender injuries. Alec kissed him deeply on the lips and Magnus immediately felt the difference.

“Alexa-“ Magnus realized his face had also fit into Alec’s neck, he managed to lift his hand to his face and felt nothing but smooth skin, with scruff. He brought up his eye glamour and Alec for a moment looked taken aback, as if he hadn’t realized the change had taken place. “You cured me,” Magnus whispered but Alec laughed, shaking your head.

“You cured yourself,” he repeated before he crashed their lips together, it was wet and tasted of tears but it was the sweetest kiss in the world. Built on true love, love that came about when one of them wasn’t physically handsome, but his heart was so beautiful, Alec saw the true Magnus, and loved him. 

That night Jace and Izzy insisted on staying over. Robert had locked Izzy in her room after drugging Alec but Lydia had let her out upon hearing her banging and screams of anger. Izzy and Magnus quickly became friends. Catarina stayed around too, actually enjoying the three young Shadowhunters. They sat in comfortable silence, Magnus resting on the couch, Alec curled into his side, Izzy and Cat in the arm chairs and Jace on the floor in front of the couch. 

“We need to set our alarms for bright and earlier tomorrow,” Alec said to the room. 

“For what?” Izzy asked, stretching in the chair. “Early appointment in Europe or something?” she teased, she’d been so jealous when Magnus and Alec told her about Italy. 

“No, we are going to the Institute,” Alec claimed. Magnus pulled back horrified, he was supposed to stay. “Oh no, don’t worry, I’ll be back in time before dinner, I just think the Institute has been cursed long enough, and it has to start with cleaning house, starting with some new management.” He explained, his siblings nodding in agreement and pride and Magnus beamed. “I could use both your help as well, you know, and Ragnor if he’s willing.” Alec continued, looking at the Warlocks “I think a great place to start is ending this bullshit hierarchy of Shadowhunters vs Downworlders. Plus my father has to answer for breaking the accords, I’ll need you to be a witness,” Alec stated sternly.

“You never cease to amaze me, Alexander,” Magnus said, breathlessly. 

Alec smiled softly at him, “In good ways I hope,” they kissed deeply. 

Jace groaned, “You two are going to be that disgusting cute couple now, aren’t you?” 

“Fuck yeah we are,” Alec said and he pulled Magnus into another kiss, causing them both to giggle and Izzy and Catarina grinning happily. Maybe happily ever after wasn’t so impossible after all.


End file.
